Promoting safety in the cardiac intensive care unit: the role of the geriatric resource nurse in early identification of patient risk for falls and delirium.

Patient safety is an overarching theme inherent in hospital care. The aging of the population increases the potential for serious consequences from a lapse in safety. Educating intensive care unit nursing team members in early recognition of delirium and other fall risk factors can improve patient safety outcomes. The geriatric resource nurse model was used to achieve a reduction in falls through standardized delirium screening and implementation of fall prevention strategies.